Method for securing a transmission, associated system and mediation platform

ABSTRACT

In a system comprising a broadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediation platform, said transmission being ciphered and arranged for being deciphered by using a key, the following steps are performed at the mediation platform, relatively to a user or group of users having terminals: determining one first and at least one second sets of values from said key, so that the knowledge of all the determined sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that it transmits the first set of values to the user or group of users and the radiocommunication subsystem so that it transmits the at least one second set of values to the user or group of users.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to secure transmission between a systemand at least one user having a terminal.

It is very common to cipher transmission, so that only allowed receivingusers, who have a specific key, can decipher the transmitted data.

Such ciphering can take place for instance, but of course notexclusively, in a broadcasting system, such as a DVB (Digital VideoBroadcasting) network. The DVB system, and more particularly its DVB-Hversion adapted to handheld terminals, is fully described in theEuropean standard EN 302 304, V1.1.1, “DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting);Transmission System for Handheld Terminals (DVB-H)”, published by theETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in November 2004.

FIG. 1 illustrates a DVB-H system in which a transmitter 1 multiplexes,through MUX 3, a plurality of streams s₁, s₂, . . . , s_(n), which canconcern different services, e.g. a video service, a data service, anaudio service, etc. Before being transmitted over a radio broadcastingchannel 6 from an antenna 5, the resulting signal is multiplied by aciphering key Kc (see multiplier 4).

A receiver 2 incorporated in a handheld terminal and listening to thechannel 6 can get the ciphered signal through its antenna 7. If the userof the terminal is allowed to receive the services, he must have adeciphering key Kd capable of deciphering the signal. Such decipheringkey can be a key dual to Kc, and can be public or private as well knownby one skilled in the art. The signal resulting from the multiplicationbetween the received signal and Kd (see multiplier 8) is finallydemultiplexed by DEMUX 9 in order to obtain streams r₁, r₂, . . . ,r_(n) substantially corresponding to the streams broadcasted by thetransmitter 1. Further detail of the operations hold in transmitter 1 orreceiver 2 is in conformity with the above-mentioned European standardEN 302 304.

Of course, ciphering can apply to all the streams as in FIG. 1, but itcan also apply to some of the streams only. This can happen e.g. whenthe different streams correspond to different broadcasted TV channels,some of which are with charge for admission. In this case, only theusers having a subscription for these channels should be provided withthe corresponding deciphering key.

An easy way of providing the subscribers with deciphering key Kd is tosend them a key K equal to Kd or from which Kd can be derived. However,when transmitting such key K over a radio channel, there is a risk thata hacker can listen to the transmission channel and intercept the keyand then have access to the service without having a subscription.

In other respects, hybrid systems including a broadcasting subsystem anda radiocommunication subsystem are developing. For example, there arecurrently some efforts to propose hybrid systems combining a DVBsubsystem and a cellular interactive communication subsystem, e.g. a GSM(Global System for Mobile communications), GPRS (General Packet RadioService) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) subsystem.

Such systems are of great interest because both subsystems havecomplementary advantages: DVB can transmit identical data to a largenumber of users with high data rates, whereas GSM or UMTS provides areturn channel making the transmission interactive. Some terminals canbe equipped to operate with both subsystems.

Although the hybrid systems offer improved services compared to theseparate subsystems, such as video on demand or e-commerce applications,they do not resolve the above-mentioned problem, since the key used fordeciphering the information sent from the DVB subsystem for instance isstill transmitted over a radio channel which could be spied by hackers.Therefore, in hybrid systems, transmission of information is stillsubject to attacks.

An object of the present invention is to secure transmission in a hybridsystem.

Another object of the invention is to limit the access to certainservices to allowed users only in a hybrid system.

Another object of the invention is to limit the access to certainservices to some areas only in a hybrid system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention thus proposes a method for securing a transmission betweena system and at least one user having a terminal, the system comprisinga broadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunication subsystem eachconnected to a mediation platform, said transmission being ciphered andarranged for being deciphered by using a key. The method comprises thefollowing steps performed at the mediation platform, relatively to auser or group of users having terminals:

-   -   determining one first and at least one second sets of values        from said key, so that the knowledge of said first and at least        one second sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and    -   controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that it transmits the        first set of values to the user or group of users and the        radiocommunication subsystem so that it transmits the at least        one second set of values to the user or group of users.

The splitting of the key and its transmission according to differentpaths make it more difficult for a hacker to intercept the key, sincemore than one channel must be listened to for retrieving the key. It istaken advantage of the fact that the hybrid system offers severalchannels to secure the transmission of the key.

Upon reception of every set of values, only the allowed users canretrieve the key and then decipher later transmission from the system.

If the radiocommunication subsystem includes a plurality of basestations, at least two second sets of values can be determined andtransmitted from respective base stations to the user or group of users.

The number of base stations which can transmit sets of values to theuser or group of users is advantageously indicated to the mediationplatform, so that the latter can take it into account when determiningthe sets of values.

When this number of base stations is at least two, every set of valuescan be transmitted by radiocommunication subsystem, while no set ofvalues would be transmitted by the broadcasting subsystem. Indeed, evenin this case, there is a space diversity which makes it difficult forhackers to retrieve the key.

The number of values in each set of values can be identical ordifferent. Particularly, it can depend on radio conditions encounteredon the various radio channels involved.

In another embodiment, the radiocommunication subsystem transmits atleast one second set of values only via at least one base stationcovering an area in which said transmission is allowed. This allowshaving a geographically restricted access for later transmission, sinceonly the users present in said area can get the key necessary fordeciphering.

The invention also proposes a mediation platform connecting abroadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunication subsystem of a systemarranged for performing a transmission to at least one user having aterminal, said transmission being ciphered and arranged for beingdeciphered by using a key. The mediation platform comprises, relativelyto a user or group of users having terminals:

-   -   means for determining one first and at least one second sets of        values from said key, so that the knowledge of said first and at        least one sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and    -   means for controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that it        transmits the first set of values to the user or group of users        and the radiocommunication subsystem so that it transmits the at        least one second set of values to the user or group of users

The invention also proposes a system comprising a broadcasting subsystemand a radiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediationplatform, the system being arranged for transmitting to at least oneuser having a terminal, said transmission being ciphered and arrangedfor being deciphered by using a key. The system comprises means toimplement the above-mentioned method, relatively to a user or group ofusers having terminals.

The invention also proposes a terminal comprising means for receiving atransmission from a system comprising a broadcasting subsystem and aradiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediation platform,said transmission being ciphered, and means for deciphering saidtransmission by using a key. The terminal further comprises:

-   -   means for receiving one first set of values from the        broadcasting subsystem;    -   means for receiving at least one second set of values from the        radiocommunication subsystem; and    -   means for retrieving said key from said first and at least one        second sets of values.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, already described, represents a transmission chain in abroadcasting system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic architecture example of a hybrid system accordingto the invention;

FIG. 3 schematically represents a key transmission in a simple system;

FIG. 4 schematically represents a key transmission in a more complexsystem;

FIG. 5 schematically represents a key transmission in a more complexsystem with geographical restriction.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 shows an example of a hybrid system comprising a broadcastingsubsystem 11, here a DVB-H subsystem, and a radiocommunicationsubsystem, here a cellular subsystem 12 e.g. GSM, GPRS or UMTS. Thecellular subsystem 12 comprises a core part 14, including a mesh ofswitches or routers and a radio part 15 including base stations. Amediation platform 10 ensures a connection between both subsystems.

With this architecture, the system is capable of transmittinginformation from the DVB-H subsystem 11. In this case the information,which can be provided by a broadcast service provider 16 for instance,is generally broadcasted. The DVB-H subsystem 11 can also be able totransmit some information to a particular user or a group of users, suchas the user having the mobile terminal 13.

The system is also capable of transmitting information from the cellularsubsystem 12 to a user or a group of users. The transmitted informationcan come from a service provider 17 which can be the same or differentfrom the broadcast service provider 16. The cellular subsystem 12 canalso receive information from a user or a group of users. For example,the cellular subsystem 12 and the terminal 13 can exchange informationin both directions.

The mediation platform 10 controls the transmission of both the DVB-Hsubsystem 11 and the cellular subsystem 12. It can also control thetransmission from the service providers 16 and 17.

This architecture is suitable especially for providing an interactivebroadcast service. For example, the user having the terminal 13 couldrequest a video broadcasting from the cellular subsystem 12 through anuplink channel and this request could be processed by the mediationplatform 10 which could then control the DVB-H subsystem 11 so that theuser receives the requested video broadcasting through the broadcastchannel provided by the DVB-H subsystem 11.

As for security aspects, some transmission from the DVB-H subsystem 11can be ciphered. As explained above, the user 13 is capable ofdeciphering the transmitted information only if it has the adequatedeciphering key, which can be a public or a private key, or acombination thereof. The ciphering/deciphering operations can besymmetrical or dissymmetrical as well known in the art.

As indicated above, the transmission, over a broadcast channel providedby the DVB-H subsystem 11, of a key K with which the broadcastedinformation can be deciphered would be too easy to intercept, sincehackers would only have to listen to the broadcast channel and decode itif necessary.

In order to secure the transmission in the system, key K should be sentin a more secured way, so that only allowed users can get it.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simple example of a secured transmission of K. Inthis example, key K must be sent to the user having the terminal 13 andwho is an allowed user (e.g. because he has a subscription for aparticular broadcast service). In this respect, the mediation platformof the system can maintain a list of the allowed users. Of course, key Kcould also be transmitted to a group of allowed users.

The terminal 13 can be reached by radio signals coming from onetransmitter 18 of the DVB-H subsystem 11 and one transmitter of thecellular subsystem 12 which is part of a base station 19.

Key K is split into two sets of values, so that the knowledge of bothsets of values is required to retrieve the key. And each one of the setsof values is sent by one of the transmitters 18 and 19. The splitting ofkey K can be of any type. It could simply be a division of the keyconsisting in a number N of bits into two parts, such as the N1 leastsignificant bits and the N2 most significant bits of K, where N1+N2=N.It should be noted that N1 could be equal to N2 or different from it.

In a more sophisticated example, key K could be defined as a number k ofcoefficients of a polynomial P of degree k−1, where k is an integer.Lagrange interpolation theorem allows retrieving P when knowing kcouples (a_(m),P(a_(m))), where a_(m) represents an integer and 1≦m≦k.

This method is the one used in the example of FIG. 3, where the valuesa₁, . . . , a_(i) and P(a₁), . . . , P(a_(i)), with i<k, are transmittedto the terminal 13 from the DVB-H transmitter 18, whereas the valuesa_(i+1), . . . , a_(k) and P(a_(j+1)), . . . , P(a_(k)) are transmittedto the terminal 13 from the base station 19. This splitting anddistribution are done by the mediation platform which controls thetransmission of both subsystems.

Upon reception of the 2k values a₁, . . . , a_(k) and P(a₁), . . . ,P(a_(k)), the terminal 13 can retrieve the key K.

By contrast, a hacker cannot retrieve key K when listening only to thebroadcast channel coming from the DVB-H transmitter 18 or to the radiochannel coming from the base station 19. To intercept K, the hackershould thus monitor both channels, which is more difficult, especiallybecause the channels use different paths in space and hackers usuallyspy channels with directive antennas pointed at one transmitter.Moreover, the DVB-H and cellular subsystems generally use differentfrequency bands, so that the quasi simultaneous reception of bothchannels by hackers is more complex.

To make the transmission of the sets of values more secured, the setscan be ciphered using respective private ciphering functions, like F1and F2 in FIG. 3. Such functions can be Kasumi functions as well knownand used in the UMTS system. Of course, any type of ciphering functioncan apply in this respect.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, in whichthe cellular subsystem is able to communicate with a terminal throughseveral channels provided by different base stations at the same time.The three base stations 20-22 constitute an active set with which theterminal 13 can communicate.

In this case, the mediation platform of the system controls each one ofthe three base stations 20-22 as well as the DVB-H transmitter 18, sothat they each transmit one set of values from which the key K can beretrieved. To this end, key K is split into four different sets ofvalues, according to any splitting method as explained above. In theexample shown in FIG. 4, each set of values correspond to a number ofdifferent values a_(m) and the corresponding P(a_(m)), where m is aninteger such that 1≦m≦k and P is a polynomial of degree k−1. The totalnumber of different values a_(m) transmitted equals k. As apparent inFIG. 4, each transmitted set of values can advantageously be cipheredwith a respective private function F1-F4.

Each set of values can substantially have the same number of values. Butit is also possible to have sets of values with different size.Advantageously, the number of values in each set depends on radioconditions on the corresponding channel. For example, if the downlinkchannel between the base station 20 and the terminal 13 encounters radioconditions not as good as the ones between the base stations 21-22 andthe terminal 13, e.g. because there is more interference with it, itwill transmit less values than the other ones. In other terms, with thereferences used in FIG. 4, we will thus have: I−j<i and also I−j<j−i.

The radio conditions on each channel can be measured by a radiocontroller of the radio part of the cellular subsystem, controlling thebase stations 20-22. An indication of the measured conditions can besent by the radio controller to the mediation platform of the system, sothat it can take account of them in the key splitting operation.

The terminal 13 of FIG. 4 needs to receive the four different sets ofvalues to retrieve key K and to be able to decipher later transmissions,e.g. from the DVB-H subsystem.

The high number of different transmitters involved in the transmissionof the split key K makes it even more difficult for hackers to interceptthe key.

Moreover, the base stations 20-22 will generally use different radioresource, such as different frequencies when FDMA (Frequency DivisionMultiple Access) is implemented or different codes when CDMA (CodeDivision Multiple Access) is implemented for instance. This also makesthe task of hackers more complex.

The number of different transmitters involved should preferably beindicated to the mediation platform of the system, so that it can splitkey K in a appropriate number of sets of values and control the twosubsystems accordingly for the transmission of the key. For the cellularsubsystem, a radio controller can inform the mediation platform of thenumber of base stations from which sets of values can be transmitted tothe terminal 13. Such radio controller can be a BSC (Base StationController) if the cellular subsystem is of the GSM type or a RNC (RadioNetwork Controller) if the cellular subsystem is of the UMTS type.

In a case different from the one illustrated in FIG. 4, when themediation platform is informed that at least two base stations cantransmit sets of values to the terminal, it can control the cellularsubsystem so that it transmits every set of values from respective basestations, whereas the DVB-H transmitter transmits no set of values. Inother terms, in the example of FIG. 4, the values a_(I+1), . . . , a_(k)and P(a_(I+1)), . . . , P(a_(k)) could be transmitted by a further basestation instead of the DVB-H transmitter 18, if the mediation platformof the system is informed that four base stations of the cellularsubsystem can transmit sets of values to the terminal 13.

FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention inwhich the access to a broadcasting service is limited not only tocertain users but also to certain areas. As shown in FIG. 5, key K issplit into four sets of values, one being transmitted from the DVB-Htransmitter 18 and the three others from the base stations 23-25. Thebase station 25 covers a limited area. For example, its transmitter canhave an indoor antenna, such that the covered area is a picocell 26.

The system is arranged so that only the base station 25 can transmit aparticular set of values relating to key K. This implies that only theusers present inside the picocell 26, like the user having the terminal13, can receive said set of values and thus retrieve key K, since allsets of values are necessary for this. If the terminal 13 is outside thepicocell 26, it will only receive the sets of values coming from theDVB-H transmitter 18 and the base stations 23-24 and thus will not beable to reconstruct key K. Further transmission from the system willthus not be deciphered by the terminal 13.

In the example described above, the radiocommunication subsystem was acellular system. Of course, this is not exclusive. For instance, theradiocommunication subsystem could comprise a radio network of accesspoints (APs), such as an Ad-hoc network. The access points are thuscapable of providing a terminal communication node with different setsof values split in flows according to different routes, by using a layer3 routing protocol such as MPLS (“Multi Protocol Label Switching”) forexample.

1. Method for securing a transmission between a system and at least oneuser having a terminal, the system comprising a broadcasting subsystemand a radiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediationplatform, said transmission being ciphered and arranged for beingdeciphered by using a key, the method comprising the following stepsperformed at the mediation platform having a processor, relative to auser or group of users having terminals: determining, by the mediationplatform, one first and at least one second sets of values from saidkey, so that the knowledge of said first and at least one second sets ofvalues is required to retrieve the key; and controlling, by themediation platform, the broadcasting subsystem so that the broadcastingsubsystem transmits the first set of values to the user or group ofusers and the radiocommunication subsystem so that theradiocommunication subsystem transmits the at least one second set ofvalues to the user or group of users.
 2. Method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the transmission of the first set of values and the transmissionof the at least one second set of values are ciphered.
 3. Method asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving, at theuser or group of users, the first and at least one second sets ofvalues, and retrieving the key from said first and at least one secondsets of values.
 4. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein theradiocommunication subsystem includes a plurality of base stations andwherein at least two second sets of values are determined andtransmitted from respective base stations to the user or group of users.5. Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mediation platform isinformed of the number of base stations from which the second sets ofvalues can be transmitted to the user or group of users and wherein thedetermination of the sets of values depends on said number of basestations.
 6. Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the number of valuesin each second set of values depends on an estimation of radioconditions between the respective base stations and the user or group ofusers.
 7. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiocommunicationsubsystem transmits at least one second set of values only via at leastone base station covering an area in which said transmission is allowed.8. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiocommunicationsubsystem includes a plurality of base stations, wherein the mediationplatform is informed of the number of base stations from whichrespective sets of values can be transmitted to the user or group ofusers, and wherein, when said number of base stations is at least two,said first set of values is transmitted from the radiocommunicationsubsystem instead of the broadcasting subsystem.
 9. Method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said key comprises a public key.
 10. Method as claimedin claim 1, wherein said key comprises a private key.
 11. Mediationplatform connecting a broadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunicationsubsystem of a system arranged for performing a transmission to at leastone user having a terminal, said transmission being ciphered andarranged for being deciphered by using a key, the mediation platformcomprising, relative to a user or group of users having terminals: aprocessor for determining one first and at least one second sets ofvalues from said key, so that the knowledge of said first and at leastone second sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and acontroller for controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that thebroadcasting subsystem transmits the first set of values to the user orgroup of users and the radiocommunication subsystem so that theradiocommunication subsystem transmits the at least one second set ofvalues to the user or group of users.
 12. Mediation platform as claimedin claim 11, further comprising means for receiving an indication of thenumber of base stations of the radiocommunication subsystem from whichthe at least one second set of values can be transmitted to the user orgroup of users, and wherein said means for determining the sets ofvalues take account of said indication.
 13. Mediation platform asclaimed in claim 11, wherein said controller is arranged so that theradiocommunication subsystem transmits at least one second set of valuesonly via at least one base station covering an area in which thetransmission is allowed.
 14. Mediation platform as claimed in claim 11,further comprising means for receiving an indication of the number ofbase stations of the radiocommunication subsystem from which sets ofvalues can be transmitted to the user or group of users, and whereinsaid controller is arranged no that, when said number of base stationsis at least two, the radiocommunication subsystem transmits said firstset of values to the user or group of users, instead of the broadcastingsubsystem.
 15. Terminal comprising means for receiving a transmissionfrom a system comprising a broadcasting subsystem and aradiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediation platform,said transmission being ciphered, and means for deciphering saidtransmission by using a key, the terminal further comprising: means forreceiving one first set of values from the broadcasting subsystem; meansfor receiving at least one second set of values from theradiocommunication subsystem; and means for retrieving said key fromsaid first and at least one second sets of values.
 16. Terminal asclaimed in claim 15, further comprising means for deciphering the firstand at least one second received sets of values.
 17. Terminal as claimedin claim 15, wherein the means for receiving at least one second set ofvalues from the radiocommunication subsystem comprise means forreceiving at least two second sets of values from respective basestations of the radiocommunication subsystem.
 18. Terminal as claimed inclaim 15, further comprising means for receiving said first set ofvalues from the radiocommunication subsystem.
 19. System comprising abroadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunication subsystem each connectedto a mediation platform, the system being arranged for transmitting toat least one user having a terminal, said transmission being cipheredand arranged for being deciphered by using a key, the system furthercomprising, relative to a user or group of users having terminals: aprocessor for determining one first and at least one second sets ofvalues from said key, so that the knowledge of said first and at leastone second sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and acontroller for controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that thebroadcasting subsystem transmits the first set of values to the user orgroup of users and the radiocommunication subsystem so that theradiocommunication subsystem transmits the at least one second set ofvalues to the user or group of users.
 20. System as claimed in claim 19,wherein the transmission of the first set of values and the transmissionof the at least one second set of values are ciphered.
 21. System asclaimed in claim 19, wherein the radiocommunication subsystem includes aplurality of base stations, the system comprising means for determiningat least two second sets of values and means for transmitting said atleast two second sets of values from respective base stations to theuser or group of users.
 22. System as claimed in claim 21, comprisingmeans for being informed of the number of base stations from which thesecond sets of values can be transmitted to the user or group of usersand wherein the means for determining the sets of values take account ofsaid number of base stations.
 23. System as claimed in claim 21, whereinthe number of values in each second set of values depends on anestimation of radio conditions between the respective base stations andthe user or group of users.
 24. System as claimed in claim 19, whereinthe radiocommunication subsystem is arranged for transmitting at leastone second set of values only via at least one base station covering anarea in which said transmission is allowed.
 25. System as claimed inclaim 19, wherein the radiocommunication subsystem includes a pluralityof base stations, the system comprising means for being informed of thenumber of base stations from which respective sets of values can betransmitted to the user or group of users, and wherein, when said numberof base stations is at least two, said first set of values istransmitted from the radiocommunication subsystem instead of thebroadcasting subsystem.